RL-HM011F Small Engine Hour Meter Tachometer

This meter is compact enough to mount almost anywhere, and the instructions are clear enough that setup doesn’t feel overwhelming. Installation is mostly straightforward, but wrapping the pickup wire around the spark‑plug lead takes some patience — it works well once it’s on, but getting a tight, even wrap is the slowest part of the job. Once installed, the tach reads accurately, the hour counter tracks reliably, and the maintenance reminders are genuinely useful. The replaceable battery is a big plus compared to sealed units, and the display is easy to read in the garage. For the price, it’s a dependable little tool that makes tuning and upkeep a lot easier.

I was a bit hesitant to purchase these tacho/hour/maintenance reminder meters. I felt there was too much functionality for how they are priced. However, I really got tired to taking a stab in the dark as to when maintenance was required for my small engines on my portable generator and power reel mower. Now that they are installed I absolutely would not give them up - even if you're just looking at the engine speed. Setup: I used the adhesive backed hook and loop mounting arrangement that was supplied with the units. I didn't feel like drilling and tapping two small holes for the meter so I took the easier route. I cleaned the back of the meter with a pre-soaked (no alcohol - just soapy grease cutter version) shop towel and attached the fabric with the battery access cutout. It's 3M adhesive on the hook and loop so it's not coming off anytime soon. The coin-cell battery is preinstalled but you have to unscrew the cover and remove the isolator (a piece of plastic) so the battery makes contact with the tabs on the circuit board. No different than replacing a coin battery for any other device except the packaged versions have a sticker you have to remove. Once it shows that it's on your ready to program. Programming: I didn't have to make any changes to the presets but don't assume you won't. It all depends on your engine and the instructions are pretty clear on how to cycle through the steps. I did play around with it a bit just so I don't have to pull out the instructions that I will eventually misplace or lose. But, take your time and you will be rewarded on the first try. Installation: I cleaned off a spot on my equipment and placed the other part of the hook and loop on an area where I could get to the unit without performing any acrobatics and unfolded the spark plug cable (you can use two methods for sensing the spark - I won't go into details here because it's clear in the instructions). I decided to use the "wrap around the spark plug cable method" because I didn't want to d**k around with the ignition coil. My method was to zip tie the meter cable to the housing part of the spark plug wire (the part that attaches to the plug) and then make 5 turns around the cable then zip tie the trailing end of the meter wire to the spark plug cable. Make sure your turns are tight around the spark plug cable and bunched together in one layer - take your time because making sure the induction lead (meter cable) is wound tightly is important. With a pair of diagonal cutters or very sharp scissors cutoff all but 2-3" of the trailing meter lead (just in case you have to redo it and need a little extra in the future. Operation: Nothing to it here. Once I started the engines the unit automatically started reading the speed in RPM - kinda nice to see when you haven't seen it before - it's the small things that excite me. I checked my instruction manual and the meter indicated what the manual stated - give or take a few RPMs but nothing major. For example, full speed on my generator engine is 3600 RPM. The meter was reading 3590 - 3610 RPMs. I consider that a success. Cleanup: I placed some zip tie bases in a couple of spots so the meter lead would stay clear from the hottest part of the engine. But, keep in mind it is an air cooled small engine (speaking only for my two) after all and they are built tightly with only a bit of space in order for the internal vanes to push air over and around the engine. In Closing: Nothing major to discuss here but keep in mind the following: 1. Take your time (it took me roughly 30 minutes for the first one and no more than 15 minutes for the second install), 2. If you know the characteristics of your engine program the meter prior to installing it, 3. If you can avoid it try to keep the actual meter away from the hottest parts of the engine, 4. Make sure your meter lead is tightly bunched and wound, in one layer, around the spark plug cable, 5. Start your engine and enjoy the view, and lastly, 6. Go enjoy a cold, frosty beverage - mine is 60% Simply Lemonade and 40% Gold Peak sweet tea - my version of an Arnold Palmer.

Seems to work okay. The instructions leave a lot to be desired. It's hilarious that the instructions suggest to add or reduce wraps around the spark plug wire in order to get the rpms on this gauge correct. It's like, I'm buying a tech because I don't know what the rpms are! Anyways, I struggled to get this installed and reading "correctly." It was installed on a tach-less 4 stroke fuel injected outboard boat engine. I knew the rpms should be around 725 in gear -- presumably in water. Out of water, the rpms should read a touch higher I'd imagine. One way I installed the inducer wire on this gauge had it reading 400ish. Okay, more wraps. A couple more wraps and it's reading 1200. Less wraps. Finally, it settled around 900. Turn the engine off, fire it back up, it's now 600. Wtf. I searched Google and YouTube for answers and it's hilarious how many people have these tachs installed and they're clearly reading the wrong RPMs. The chainsaw idling at 6000 RPMs? Yeah, it's wrong buddy. And worse, no one seemed to show how to wrap the inducer pickup wire around the spark plug wire. I was trying to start with the end of the wire and begin wrapping from there. I think that's where my troubles started. I ended up finding a completely unrelated short of a guy installing a tach-less hour meter on his dirt bike and how he did the wire is how I ended up doing mine. Pic related. I kept a long tag end. 5 wraps around the spark plug wire and pulled tight back onto itself. This seemed to provide the best and most consistent rpm reading. If the thing auto-off'd I'd give it 5 stars.

Great product. I use these on all my gas powered engines. This one is on my DR chipper. I have one on my Troy-Bilt Horse and my Honda quad. The hour meter, and service reminder is great for proper maintenance-oil change, filters, plugs, etc.

Bought for a mini bike. I have used it on three different mini bikes and small engines now and it has worked for all them. It is super easy to set up if you read the instructions (it'll take two seconds). I have had no problems with it breaking no turning on or just not reading at all. Also the mounting is super nice I just have mine zip tied to the frame in a location I can see while riding but my buddy made a whole handle bar mound for his and it look great.

Instructions are confusing and not very clear. The unit does not appear to be very accurate and it didn't make a difference how many wraps I had. My atv idle speed should be around 1250 to 1350. I had to idle it at around 2300 for it to not stall out. Now, I worked on many vehicles over the years (I'm 71) and driven a lot with tachs in them. When the tach read 3000 rpm, there is no way it was idling at 3000 rpm. I also revved it up a little and the tach went around 9000 rpm! NO WAY! And yes I had the tach set up properly for 1p2r for a 4 stroke engine. It's not worth sending back.

RUNLEADER Small Engine Hour Meter – A Must-Have for Every Small Engine! Wow—what an awesome little device! The RUNLEADER hour meter was an absolute breeze to install and works flawlessly right out of the box. This thing is a game-changer for anyone who wants to keep their small engines in peak condition. The maintenance setup is brilliant—it tracks your oil changes and other service needs with ease and even flashes to remind you when it's time for action. No more second-guessing or missed maintenance intervals. It takes all the guesswork out of the equation! But the real star? The built-in tachometer! Being able to monitor your RPMs means you can dial in performance and make sure your engine is running at peak efficiency and within safe limits. It’s an awesome feature, and for best results, I highly recommend double-checking the RPM readings against a certified meter during setup to fine-tune accuracy. I honestly couldn’t be more thrilled with this product. The install was quick, the display is clear, and the features are just what every small engine needs. I’ll be grabbing more of these for all my tools around the shop. Highly recommended—don’t think twice, just get it!

I put a replacement engine (B&S 625EX, 150cc, 4-stroke) on my 21" Snapper deck, and wanted to ensure the engine's RPMs were correct for a 21" blade. Once I set the correct engine type on the tachometer (4-stroke, one cylinder "1P2R"), the instructions said to wrap the cable around the spark plug wire 4 to 5 times. I did so, and the RPMs read 7650, which is over TWICE the maximum-rated RPMs for a small engine. Surprised at it being WAY too high (even though it didn't sound anywhere NEAR that high), I reduced the RPMs down to as low as they would go by bending the arm to which the governor spring is attached. The tach still read 4180 RPM and the engine was barely idling. I checked the instructions to make sure I configured and attached it right. I definitely configured it right, and I hooked it up according to the instructions, but reading down a bit further the instructions THEN say (paraphrased) "If the is reading too high, reduce the number of wraps ("winding turns"), or if it is too low, increase the number or wraps." If we're following the instructions, then why should we have to increase or decrease the number of wraps? Don't they KNOW the correct number of wraps their own tool requires? And then, even further down, it says, for a 4-stroke engine, to wrap the wire around the coil head, not the plug wire. Talk about some BAD technical writing. Shouldn't THAT information come first? You would have to take the housing off of the engine to wrap the lead around the coil head (assuming you could actually get it around the coil head without removing the coil and reinstalling it), which would then require you either to start the engine with a drill using the fly wheel nut, or to reinstall the housing so you can use the pull cord. Nope. If they're not sure how many wraps around the spark plug there needs to be, then your adjusting the tool (the tachometer) to accommodate a potentially inaccurate reading, which MISSES the whole point of using the tachometer in the first place. If we're just going to make up numbers, then what do we need a tachometer for? And double nope. If they can't make up their minds about where they're going to instruct the user to attach the sensor cable, then what good are the instructions? What good is the meter? Maybe the instructions for all tachometers are this bad, but THIS manufacturer has already lost ALL of my confidence. I need a tool that I can trust, not something where the manufacturer doesn't even know the correct order to present the instructions, doesn't know how to attach its tool correctly, just makes things up as it goes along, and ultimately gives the user ZERO confidence in the tool's reading. RETURN!

Gummidichtung für Batteriefach war bei Ankunft bereits verklemmt und ergo beschädigt. Damit ist das Fach nicht mehr wasserdicht. Kann passieren, für mich war das keine Voraussetzung beim Kauf also egal und ist ausgenommen von der Gesamtbewertung. Inbetriebnahme und Einstellungen sind rudimentär aber ausreichend und zweckdienlich. In der Preisklasse darf ich nur beurteilen, ob das Gerät den Angaben entsprechend funktioniert, alles darüber wäre vermessen zu erwarten. Ich habe keine Möglichkeit die Genauigkeit des Gerätes zu prüfen aber das Gerät ist funktionstüchtig und angezeigte Daten scheinen glaubwürdig. Schnelle Lieferung und gratis Versand nach Österreich ... 5 Sterne und ein Dankescön

Broken in 5 days Change the battery also not working

Wired in unit, set up for engine, started engine, all good. Returned 1hour later, started engine, the digits cycle randomly, doesn’t work & continues not to work. Ordered another from elsewhere.

Fa quello che promette e sembra(miracolosamente)farlo bene. I giri stimati sembran plausibili.non ho notato differenze in tal.senso aumemtanso o diminuendo il numero di spire. Il funzionamento é semplice, sul sito del produttore trovare le istruzioni in pdf..l autonomia(sulla carta)é altissima, solo la guarnizione del vano che la contiene mi lascia perplesso sulla effettiva impermeabilità. A didferrnza di altri si azzera, potete scegliere il promemoria della manutenzionene se vedere sempre il conta ore al posto del conta giri o vedere le ore solo a macchina spenta..ad ora nn ho davvero nulla da volere in più!

Instalação super fácil e funciona tal como descrito, permitindo medir com precisão as rotações do motor da minha mota Yamaha FZX750.